St Lawrence Market

[Jonny5]

Clearly it doesn't.

Perhaps the issue is peak stuff? The condos and residences on King East appear to have a lot more long-term residents, which feeds into that. The neighbourhood probably is less transient than others downtown, though that's in-part only a feeling. I live around there, and while I would welcome more retail, I cannot actually tell you what product would convince me to go out there to shop. I bought a new piece of furniture this week--a new bed--it's the first new piece of furniture I have purchased in about four years. I bought it from EQ3 and spent almost $2,000 including taxes, delivery, etc.., but I didn't actually go to the EQ3 store on King Street one single time. I bought it through their website (the mattress will be acquired in person, but mattress shops don't lend themselves to small and odd-shaped condo storefronts.)

Would I shop for clothes? Maybe... though I get the feeling King East would be the place to get suits that cost $2,000, not the $300 suits I would actually wear when I need to, and if you're going to spend $2,000 on a suit, there's Yorkville. And anyway, I can buy those at a store in the PATH when I'm at work (though the last one I purchased was done online from the store which I used to shop at in person at their FCP location, but it didn't make it through the pandemic).

Maybe shoes? Oh, wait, I bought my last two pairs of work shoes online from Aldo too, delivered free to my desk at the office.

So there's probably different perspectives, but that's one of a near-King East resident. So what am I supposed to shop for? LCBO and No Frills, sure. Beyond that... I don't know?

 

[dusk]

I worked at George Brown quite a few years ago (when the Starbucks was still on King!) and have now lived near King E for the last few years, and it has always been sleepier than you would think considering the relatively dense neighbourhood. I think change is coming, but it hasn't come so far, so it may be more resistant than we think.

We've probably walked by each other without even knowing, I think you're like two buildings down

Hi neighbour lol

 

[DSC]

The Works @ Church/Wellington/Front has a large FOR LEASE sign on the upper (outdoor) floor. I assume they are leasing whole building, though if so the sign might be better located!

 

[Northern Light]

The Works @ Church/Wellington/Front has a large FOR LEASE sign on the upper (outdoor) floor. I assume they are leasing whole building, though if so the sign might be better located!

Apologies to anyone working there, but this would not be a material loss to the area.

I tried "The Works' once.....that was all I needed to know.

LOL

Not that it was terrible, by any means, but it was incredibly ordinary relative to the hype its arrival was given; and rather fully priced relative to quality.

 

[evandyk]

When you're charging over $20 for a burger, it had better be pretty good, and theirs aren't.

 

[emphur]

Colour? What's that..?

But seriously, the row is so whimsy I love them dearly (my favourite in the city), but it's lost some of its charm without its colour.

I won't say it doesn't look 'classy' as a uniform block, but the architectural details were much better highlighted by the colour.

For reference, this was before. (From Google)

 

[tripwire]

I actually liked The Works burgers. The rooftop patio was a good bonus to the establishment as well.

And boo on the loss of colours on those buildings.

 

[Towered]

Colour? What's that..?

But seriously, the row is so whimsy I love them dearly (my favourite in the city), but it's lost some of its charm without its colour.

I won't say it doesn't look 'classy' as a uniform block, but the architectural details were much better highlighted by the colour.

View attachment 433729

For reference, this was before. (From Google)

View attachment 433730

It's bad enough that this city hates colour on new builds, but removing it from older ones? That's a new low for Toronto.

 

[DSC]

The Pain Dore has opened on Front and I regret to say my opinion is mixed. The seating space looks good and the range of muffins etc looks fine. They have VERY few kinds of bread and today my partner and I tried the pain au chocolat and the 'raisin swirls". The swirls were good, the pain au chocolat was FAR too sweeet (VERY far too sweet). I used to patronise them often in Montreal 20+ years ago, they will need to do more/better here before I will rush back - and I live 100 yards away!

 

[evandyk]

I've been to their "Brioche Doree" in the TD Centre, and while I wouldn't rush there to get stuff, they do have decent options for breakfast and lunch. I don't really eat sweets, though, so I mostly eat their savoury sandwiches.

 

[Northern Light]

The Pain Dore has opened on Front and I regret to say my opinion is mixed. The seating space looks good and the range of muffins etc looks fine. They have VERY few kinds of bread and today my partner and I tried the pain au chocolat and the 'raisin swirls". The swirls were good, the pain au chocolat was FAR too sweeet (VERY far too sweet). I used to patronise them often in Montreal 20+ years ago, they will need to do more/better here before I will rush back - and I live 100 yards away!

View attachment 435923

I look forward to trying them, after they have improved their product under your thoughtful supervision!

Don't neglect to send their HQ your reviews, it really does help shift things a lot of the time.

 

[DSC]

I've been to their "Brioche Doree" in the TD Centre, and while I wouldn't rush there to get stuff, they do have decent options for breakfast and lunch. I don't really eat sweets, though, so I mostly eat their savoury sandwiches.

The Pain Dore and the Brioche Dore are, as far as I know, not associated companies.

EDIT!:

I investigated further and, though they are separate companies, both have the same corporate 'overlord - the Duff Group - and both have the same franchise owners here in Toronto. "Jeff Morgan and his wife Ardita Karaj have a background in the IT sector but their passion these days is for French bakeries. The couple, who own a Brioche Dorée franchise, a Parisian bakery cafe at the TD Centre in downtown Toronto, are also planning to open in the near future an Au Pain Doré franchise location in the St. Lawrence Market area of the city.

They opened their Brioche Dorée location last November. That French brand is located around the world in about 40 countries with a small presence in North America.

“The store is a French bakery. It is famous for bringing that fast food concept in the French world,” said Karaj. “It is French food with a high quality, fresh-baked daily but it’s in a fast-serving environment.”

From: https://retail-insider.com/retail-i...e-market-area-as-part-of-expansion-interview/

 

[DSC]

Nice write up on a neighbourhood 'character' and all round nice guy! From April 2021.

The View from King Street Changes - T·

Rare bookseller D&E Lake Ltd. has found a way to co-exist with the increasingly digital world around us.

tdotcommunity.ca

 

[DSC]

Belissimo on The Esplanade is on the market again.

 

[Allandale25]